The Avengers: Kinetic Initiative
by Moxi the Fox
Summary: When Loki escapes from his Asgardian prison The Avengers must reassemble in order to protect the Earth. However, this time S.H.I.E.L.D. has a secret plan to put an end to Loki once and for all.
1. Chapter 1

The Avengers: Initiative Kinetic

By: Moxie the Fox

Pepper had told him that a young woman was waiting to meet him in his living room. This mysterious woman refused to give Pepper her name or even a reason as to why she was there. When Tony stepped out of the elevator he saw a slight young woman in a sun dress. As far as he could tell she was no older than twenty. Her hair was in a loose bun and some of her blonde curls that didn't quite make it into the bun fell around her face; her deep brown eyes seemed impassable as she approached him.

"I've been waiting for this moment for a long time, Mr. Stark," she said her hand outstretched for a handshake.

A burst of pride overwhelmed him as he feigned modesty reaching out for her hand. The next moment he was on the ground a dull ache in his left cheek. The young girl stood over him, her previously open hand closed tight in a fist. Tony stared up at her dumbstruck.

"Get up!" she growled.

Scrambling to his feet, he threw a punch but she grabbed his forearm and threw him across the room. His body slammed into a cabinet full of shot glasses. The glass doors shattered. Tony charged after her full force as she side stepped out of the way and he slammed his head into the wall.

"Would you like to put on our suit?"

"Are you kidding me? I just make it a strict policy never to hit a girl," Tony said as he dusted himself off.

She charged after him, Tony tried to side step her but she pinned him to the ground bending his fingers back before he even had time to think. He bit his lip to keep himself from letting out a gasp of pain. Then she pressed her arm against his throat. Tony started to smile thinking how ironic it was that this was how his life was going to end. Right as the thought had come to him he sees Thor standing in the doorway. The woman jumped off of Tony and ran at Thor. Bracing himself first, when her body hit his Thor wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off her feet. He set her down still holding her by the shoulders and smiling.

"It is good to see you, Kinetic," Thor beamed.

"Wait. You're a good guy? Then what the hell are you hitting me for? I'm on your side!"

Kinetic smiled, "I guess everyone has daddy issues."

Thor let out a hardy laugh while Tony stared up at them both from the ground. After a moment he got up, examining Kinetic closely.

"What are you talking about?"

"When are you going to tell him," Thor asked with a smirk.

"Let him suffer," Kinetic said never letting her eyes leave Tony.

Thor howled, "I can see the family resemblance."

"Daddy?"

She stuck out her hand for a handshake again, "Lorraine. Lorraine Stark. Your daughter."

Tony chuckled, "whoa, that's not possible."

"Remember Sharon? Iowa City '92?"

"Oh my god. She didn't get the abortion."

"Wow! When they said you were a genius they weren't kidding," Lorraine gasped, throwing herself on the coach.

Tony was shaken, thinking about Sharon. A flood of memories come back to him interrupted when Thor slaps him on the back hard enough to make him stumble forward.

"You are a father," he smiled.

"Well technically speaking but let's not get ahead of ourselves."

"Tony you have a kid?" Pepper asked as she stepped out of the elevator.

He sighed dramatically, his hands in his pockets, turning to Lorraine who shrugs.

"By the way, Nick Furry is here to see you. My god Tony you should really take care of this place it's a mess! What do you do in here?"

Thor and Lorraine smile at each other.

Tony throws his head back and roars in discontent, "Oh NOW it's a party."

After all the greetings and introductions were done Pepper left the Avengers in the capable hands of Nick Furry. He explained that Kinetic was the newest member of the Avengers and that her psychic powers would prove most useful against any invasion. In fact, S.H.I.E.L.D. had plans to use her as a way to scout out danger way before it came about in order to better prepare for war. However, Thor was the bearer of bad news this time.

"It is Loki. He has escaped from our captivity. I do not know where he has gone," Thor said as he slid down in a chair seemly humbled.

Lorraine rubbed his back as she said, "Oh Thor, don't take it so hard it's not your fault, buddy."

"I promised to keep him in Asgard and I have failed you."

"It doesn't matter whose fault it was we're going to need the Avengers to reassemble if Loki is on the loose. God knows what he's got planned this time," Nick Furry interrupted.

(To be continued...)


	2. Chapter 2

Nick Furry, Tony Stark, Thor and Lorraine sat in the S.H.I.E.L.D. debriefing room waiting for Clint Barton, Natasha Romanov and Captain Rodgers to arrive. Dr. Banner was currently engaged with another task and would not be joining them. Furry paced the room holding to fingers to the Bluetooth in his ear asking Agent Hill for updates on either Loki or the whereabouts of the other Avengers. The air seemed stiff and while Thor and Lorraine sat poised Tony fidgeted in his seat. His gaze shifted to Lorraine as he scrutched up his face as if trying to diagnose her. After a while he shook his head, looked away but then looked again. Lorraine caught his gaze.

_Ask your questions, _Tony heard Lorraine's voice saying in his head.

_Ah, a telepath, _Tony thought, _how exactly does this work. If you can read my mind all I have to do is think? Besides the fact…where did you get your powers? People aren't born that way you know._

_ Genetic mutation. Yes, they are. There's just less than a two percent chance of a random genetic mutation that results in super human abilities. I'm simply a freak of nature. _

Tony sat back in his chair and sighed, _where'd you learn all that?_

_ Professor Xavier. Have you heard of him?_

_ Sure. Why aren't you fighting with your kind then, kid?_

Lorraine laughed audibly, making Thor leap from his seat holding his hammer as if ready to swing it. She gave him a strained look and grabbed his arm.

"A little jumpy today aren't we?"

Thor surveyed the room before sitting down, "Loki, I thought I heard him." Suddenly he slammed his fists on the table, "I know he's up to something and we are just sitting here!"

"Calm down there big boy. Rudolph's not getting away with anything," Tony said leaning back in his chair.

"Maybe if the other reindeer had let him join in on their reindeer games you'd be a happy family back at Santa's workshop," Lorraine added.

Thor squinted, "I do not understand. What are these rain deer you speak of? Do they emerge after it rains?"

The two Starks blinked then Tony said, "don't hurt yourself big guy. Leave the thinking to me."

The door opened revealing Black Widow and Hawkeye. They seemed exhausted as if neither of them had slept in a week. As Hawkeye took a seat next to Tony, he winked at him and slapped him on the back. Natasha stared off indifferently as Clint shook his head.

"We were in Latvia. There was a spotting of a man who calls himself Dr. Doom. Turns out we were chasing phantoms for six weeks," Clint debriefed; his eyelids seemed as if they had weights on them.

Furry decided to get the meeting out of the way after Agent Hill told him that Captain Rogers would be at least another twenty minutes. The first order of business was the introduction if Lorraine to the rest of the team. Natasha filled in Furry on the details of what had transpired it Latvia but concluded that they hadn't gathered any useful information.

"Nevermind Dr. Doom. For right now we need to focus on Loki. He's escaped from his prison in Asgard. Most likely he's out for vengeance. This time we're going to need to be three steps ahead of him," Furry looked over the Avengers.

Natasha spoke up, "what's this secret weapon S.H.I.E.L.D. has that I keep hearing about?"

"It's called the Kinetic Intiative," said Captain Rogers as he walked into the meeting.

There was a brief moment of understanding shared between Rogers and Furry. Nick Furry hit a button hidden under the table which summoned two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Rogers elbowed one in the stomach as she approached him. The other one he grabbed by the wrist flipping onto the floor. Another agent ran in and tackled Rogers to the floor. As he had him in a choke hold Rogers choked out for Lorraine to run. A few more agents came in and seized Lorraine by the arms. She kicked and squirmed for her freedom as the rest of the Avengers watched on in stunned silence. No one know who the good guys were in this situation. Even the Black Widow seemed torn.

"What's going on," Lorraine asked as she was dragged out of the room.

Captain Rogers shot Furry a dirty look, "you can't do this! I won't let you!"

Furry didn't react, "this isn't your call to make, Rogers."

A few more agents came in to hold Captain Rogers down as he shouted at them to leave her alone. The held him down as they took Lorraine down the hallway where she disappeared down a long corridor. Her distant screams could still be heard as Rogers continued to try and fight his way through the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Furry took out a syringe and stabbed Rogers in the neck with it and the captain fell to the ground unconscious. The four Avengers in the room stood too their feet and looked over the chaotic room. Lorraine was gone, Steve was unconscious and where the hell was Dr. Banner?


	3. Chapter 3

Dr. Banner had already started an algorithm to break the complex series of calculations for premonition. In his younger years he had followed the research of Dr. H. G. Waters and his theories on psychic equations made him eager to get started on his own groundbreaking research on gamma radiation. Waters had proposed that the ability to pinpoint a future event was not supernatural but rather an advanced insight of statistical probability. The future then becomes reduce than nothing but a few hundred million calculations that a computer could perform in seconds. However, Waters funding had been cut short and no one ever heard from him again after that. Dr. Banner felt that combined with Waters preliminary findings and his own experimentations that he'd be able to predict the future down to every last minute detail. He had to admit that the research would go faster if Stark would help him. When he asked why Tony hadn't been assigned to work with him Furry said that S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't trust him. Yet they trusted a man who, at the slightest provocation, turned into an "enormous green rage monster" as Tony had called it. Soon the doors to his laboratory opened and a young girl was carried in. She was unconscious and had small abrasions on her arms and legs.

"Who is that?" Dr Banner asked.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent said nothing as he left the room. Dr. Banner walked over to the young woman and felt sorry for her instantly. The twisted expression on her face made him think she had been in pain or terrified of something. He reached out to check her pulse. He knew she'd been alive but wanted to reassure himself. There, lying on that cold table she might as well have been an autopsy patient. Nick Furry walked in the door.

"You asked for a test subject," Furry said nodding at the girl.

Dr. Banner stammered, "b-b-but she's just a girl! I will not do the kind of invasive experimentation I have to do on her. She's a human being!"

"Look, I don't like this anymore than you do."

"Then why did you beat her up?"

"We didn't. She resisted."

"I can't hurt her."

"I'm not asking you to, Dr. Banner. Just get the information we need out of her. You're in charge here."

Dr. Banner stared helplessly at the girl's lifeless body. Now he had to begin a series of poking and prodding on her and he didn't even know her name. Maybe it was better that way. He tried to convince himself that this was the only way to keep the Earth safe. That the ends would justify the means. He turned to Nick Furry.

"Alright. I'll do this but I'm going to need a lot more equipment and more time then I anticipated if I'm going to go about this in a moral way."

"You've got whatever you need."

"Stark. I need Ton-"

"Except Stark. Anything you need except him."

A new found wave of purpose crashed over Dr. Banner as he returned to his computer work.

"Doctor, for curiosity's sake, what _were_ you expecting? A psychic horse?"

Dr. Banner smiled, "something like that. I was hoping for a rat."


	4. Chapter 4

At the very least he felt it might be useful to try and talk some sense into Dr. Banner. Steve knew Bruce. They had fought together. No matter how hard he tried to sneak in to the laboratory he was caught every time. It's as if S.H.I.E.L.D. knew that Captain Steve Rogers would be able to get through to Dr. Banner. Defeated, the captain sat on the floor outside of the laboratory. He thought of Peggy and wondered if he should look her up. Obviously, he'd missed their date but at the very least he wanted to know she had lived a nice life. Had she married? What was her husband like? Did he treat her right? Steve took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and lay his head against the wall. He formed the image of her face is his head. Even now he could see her face smiling, with her bright red lipstick. He focused on her lips then her eyes. Those deep, brown inquisitive eyes.

"Who are you trying to kiss there sweetheart," Tony asked.

Steve had stood up, holding Tony in his arms with his lips were puckered up and hadn't even noticed as he had imagined doing to Peggy. He withdrew rubbing the back of his head. Tony laughed slapping him on the back.

"Lose the spandex will you? We're not even on a mission yet."

"One can never be too prepared."

Tony guffawed, "alright, girl scout when can I get some of those Samoas?"

Before Steve had a chance to react Thor walked up, his gait was purposeful but he seemed uneasy.

Tony sized Thor up before saying, "what seems to be the problem, Point break?"

Thor shook his head and gestured violently toward the door, "what they are doing to her is WRONG! How can we stand here and do nothing while our comrade is tortured?"

Tony listened melodramatically, "I don't hear any screaming."

"How dare you," Thor stepped toward Tony.

"Oh no let's not start this up again," Steve stepped between Thor and Tony placing his hand on Tony's chest.

"We must do something! She is our comrade!"

Steve knew that Thor was right. It seemed wrong that they were allowed to freely roam the base while Lorraine had been locked up in a lab being poked and prodded at by Dr. Banner. For some reason Stark hadn't been allowed in the lab either. By the look of frustration on his ordinarily indifferent exterior, Steve could tell that Tony seemed troubled by his exclusion.

"She's your daughter! Don't you care?"

Steve caught Tony's glance, "daughter? You have a kid?"

The room had fallen silent aside from the gentle hum of technology. Tony let out a long sigh, running his fingers through his hair. A soft clicking noise came from within the lab and Thor shifted his weight from foot to foot. Unease filled the three of them as if a storm they could not see was gathering on the horizon.

Finally Tony spoke, "yes. Apparently. There's not we can do. So let's forget it."

Tony turned to leave and Steve caught him by the arm. His fingers gripped hard but Tony yanked away from him and charged down the hallway out of sight. Steve thought it was uncharacteristic of Tony not to have a witty comment to make nor was he smiling. He had failed to look him in the eye when he caught him as if he knew he were wrong. He didn't have much time to wonder if something had happened between Lorraine and him when Thor grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Captain Rogers, what do you know of her confinement? When you joined the meeting you spoke of their plan. Tell me all that you know."

"You see, Thor, I don't know much more than you do. All I knew is about some project called 'the kinetic initiative'. It's some sort of weapon they hope that will help them avoid future attacks."

Thor thought for a moment, slamming his fists on the wall, "what are they doing to her in there!"

Steve looked at Thor hopelessly. He knew that they had do something because doing nothing would make them as guilty as those who were doing this to her. The hammer in Thor's hand gave Steve an idea. He asked Thor to come with him and the two of them disappeared down the hallway whispering a plan to break Lorraine out of her captivity.


	5. Chapter 5

In the haziness induced by the drugs, Lorraine tried to sit up in her bed but couldn't find the strength. The pain was unbearable and she no longer cared what happened to her. Dr. Banner came towards her with a syringe. He jumped back when he notice she was awake.

"I gave you enough anesthesia to knock out an elephant. How are you still awake?"

"I don't know, doc, you tell me," Lorraine managed to choke out in a groggy voice.

Avoiding eye contact Dr. Banner said, "you seem to be incredibly powerful but until recently, I could give you the normal dosage and you'd be out. However, now, for some reason I can't seem to keep you under for long. It's as if your body is developing some sort of a tolerance."

She gave Dr. Banner a sad look and he frowned in reply. His eyes met hers for a moment but he could only hold eye contact for a second or two. He adjusted the equipment attached to her body for the hundredth time.

"I don't blame you, doc," Lorraine said, "you're just…following orders…right?"

He shot her a look; her comment had been laced in malice. Not that he blamed her but it made him angry. The anger rose inside of him.

"I'm not a Nazi."

Dr. Banner turned around to check Lorraine's vitals. She could feel the life being breathed back inside her, slowly inflating her energy. Now, she could feel the blood rushing to the tips of her fingers and back through the rest of her body. Her pulse was pounding faster and faster. Sweat poured from the crown of her head as she could feel the leather harnesses giving way. Dr. Banner turned slowly on his heel to see that Lorraine was turning green and her body began to bulge.

"My god," Dr. Banner stepped back into his desk knocking over some test tubes, "that's impossible."

"What did you do to me?!"

Now she was hulking and green, with one swat of her hand she knocked over all of the monitor. She tore out the needles in her arms and began to beat down the door. Her fists pounding the metal out into the hallway but the door stayed locked. Dr. Banner was saying something but she didn't stop to listen. There wasn't much she could comprehend in her rage. All she knew is that she had to get out. In a panic, Dr. Banner was afraid he might transform but as angry as he got, the other guy showed no signs of emerging. In fact, he now felt empty as if the hulk no longer lived inside of him. He didn't have times to concern himself and grabbed a horse tranquilizer. He stabbed Lorraine in the back of the neck with it. She let out an awful cry before she fell the ground. Naked and feeble looking again, she lay without a sound. Hesitantly, Dr. Banner leaned over and checked her pulse. He was relieved to see her still alive.

"Dr. Banner, is everything alright in there," Nick Fury said over the radio.

Panting, Dr. Banner replied with a nod and when he caught his breath he said, "yeah, everything is just fine."

He found her some clothes and wrapped her up in a blanket on the examination table. Taking his cup of coffee, he left the door unlocked.


End file.
